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I apologize for not posting yesterday, but I had a bit of bad news in the morning and with that and having been out late the night before, I simply wasn’t feeling up to it. My mom called me yesterday morning to let me know that my dog back home in Phoenix, Tessa, has been having some liver problems and is sick. My mom says that she seems alright – she obviously is a dog and has no clue about her own health – but she is on antibiotics for the moment and after she has run through those, they will know more. It really soured my whole day because I love her very much, and because I moved out when I was 17 and moved to New York over 2 years ago, I haven’t gotten to see her as much as I would like to. We got her when she was a puppy and she’s honestly always been the best dog. She even turned Kramer into a dog lover, who was a staunch cat advocate when we first met. I’m definitely going to be heading back home some time soon to see her at least one last time, I’m just not sure when yet. Thankfully, my mom said that she is still running around and acting mostly normal, save for being a little tired and having trouble eating like she used to. I guess that this happens eventually with all pets, but I’m glad that at least we know that something is wrong early enough for us to make the most of the time we have left with her.

Enough with the sad news, right? Tessa is still kicking and I’m going to go visit, so there’s that, at least. I made these brownies for a party a few weeks back, and they were a big hit. I always find it funny how crazy people get over red velvet – they know it’s just chocolate with red food coloring, right? I guess the color is just so inviting that you have to have some of whatever the dessert happens to be. These brownies have a lovely crackly top that crunches just a bit when you take a bite, and the interior is perfectly moist and fudgey, just as a brownie should be (cake-like brownie lovers need not enter here). I made a giant batch of these because I had an inkling that they’d go fast, and they certainly did. I was able, however, to freeze a few of them before the party started so that Kramer and I would be able to have them later on the week, and was that ever a good idea. When I was a kid, my mom always froze leftover treats so that there would always be cookies or brownies or something sweet in there to snack on after school (or after my parents went to bed), and like her mother before her and my mother before me, I have carried on this tradition, much to Kramer’s delight. So, there you have it: make ’em for a party, for your family, or for your freezer – these red velvet brownies are versatile and sure to be enjoyed by all.

Thankfully, I just happened to be at the park when my mom told me the news yesterday, so I was able to walk around for a bit before returning to work.

Preheat your oven to 375 degrees F and line your baking dish with parchment paper. Please note that I used an 11x17-inch baking dish. If you do not have a large baking dish like this, you can make 2 9-inch baking dishes worth of brownies or 1 9x13 dish and 1 8x8 dish (how are there so many baking dishes?).

Melt the chocolate and butter together in a medium sized pot over low heat, stirring frequently, until smooth. Set aside to cool slightly, and in another bowl, beat together the sugar and eggs, one at a time, until well combined, then pour the chocolate mixture slowly over everything and beat until combined - make sure that your eggs are at room temperature when you do this, or else the chocolate will break when added to the cold eggs. Beat in the vanilla extract and red food coloring.

Whisk together your flour, baking powder, and salt, then gradually add it to the chocolate and sugar mixture, scraping down the sides of the bowl as necessary, until just moistened, then fold in the white chocolate chips.

Pour the batter into your parchment lined pan, and bake for 40-45 minutes, until set and a toothpick comes out of the center mostly clean. If the top is browning too quickly, simply cover the pan with foil to allow the inside to continue baking without cooking the top. Allow the brownies to cool completely before cutting into squares. These will keep well in an airtight container for up to 5 days at room temperature, or frozen for up to 3 months.

These look delicious! My fiance is a huge red velvet cake fan so I might have to make these in the near future. Definitely saving it to my recipe folder. Ps- good luck with Tessa. I hope she feels better.

I’m so sorry to hear about your pup.
I know how you feel. I am a TOTAL dog lover. My husband and I got a Golden Lab/Great Pyrenees mix (we named her Macaroni – from the movie Fred Claus), and we got her when she was 8 weeks old. She was the CUTEST little fuzzball ever.
She was the runt, and we found out that she was born with congenital kidney failure – her kidneys hadn’t formed correctly. We were doing all kinds of special things for her (food, meds, puppy hospital), and we had to put her down Jan 27th of this year. She was still puppy-ish (when she wasn’t feeling super bad), and that’s one part of what made it so hard, I think. She was only 2 years and 3 months old when we had to put her down.
I’m sorry, I don’t mean to put a dark cloud on the red velvet craze, but I totally understand how it is to have the BEST dog in the WORLD, and to go through that. The best thing is to give lots of hugs lots of kisses, and don’t hold back car rides or time outside (even if your pup isn’t feeling super great and you guys are just sitting at a park).

Your brownies look simply divine and will be making them soon because you know how Georgians lone anything red velvet!!! So sorry about sweet Tessa, she very well may turn the corner. Whatever happens she has had a wonderful life with a family who loves her very much. What more could a dog ask for? Post a picture of her so everyone can see how pretty she is. Love you Sydney
Auntie Donna

I am so sorry about Tessa. We just marked the one year anniversary of losing our dog, Joey. It is so hard, they become such huge parts of your lives and families. I hope you can get back here to see her soon! Sending lots of healing vibes her way.

We’ve been waiting to get a pup of our own soon, as I was promised that if I moved to Arkansas (reluctantly, in a way) I would get to have a dog. We don’t live in a good dog friendly apartment right now (wayyyy better than other places I’ve lived but my cowboy boyfriend doesn’t believe in “inside” dogs) and we don’t think it’s fair to have a tiny yard for the dog to play in. I am so ready to welcome a furry creature into our life but am wary about the possible sadness that occurs too. Boyfriend lost both his childhood dogs two summers ago and is still upset regularly about it and how he didn’t get to spend as much time as he wanted with them because of going away to college.

So sorry to hear about your dog — it makes it extra hard to be away from home when these things happen. These brownies are the ultimate comfort food! And just about the most creative baking I’ve seen in a long time.

Hi Sydney! I haven’t been commenting much lately, but I’ve been keeping up with the blog sporadically and wanted to let you know how sorry I am that Tessa’s not doing well. It’s always difficult when someone we care about is unwell, and sometimes I think it’s even harder with pets since they love us so unconditionally. Hoping she’s able to pull though, and enjoy your trip to see her soon! Give her a skritch behind the ears for all of us!

Also, the timing of these brownies (and your post) is really serendipitous in a way. My fiance’s beagle just passed away a week and a half ago after being sick for a while (wow, downer, sorry), but he seriously loves red velvet (er, the fiance, not the dog) and is having a rough time. I’m moving down with him this weekend, so these will be the first treat in our new place! And fudgy brownies are definitely the best!

These were fantastic! I made them for a movie-on-the-lawn night and they quickly became a 3 day snack and impromptu father’s day gifts! My husband is a fan of red velvet and though I’m not a big on it, we both thoroughly enjoyed them! Thanks!